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Ah, February! The month of hearts and flowers and chocolates! (And maybe just a bit of "What? Another snow storm!" depending on where you live!) February may be the shortest month, but that doesn't mean it's short on things to do. The Board has been especially busy this month having just sent our new brochure to the printer. We're also in the early stages of updating the webpage for folks interested in becoming SOWERS to make sure it's accurate and inviting. We're even giving some thought to the production of a short 60-90 second promotional video that could be shared with churches and Sunday school classes, for when our current video seems too long. The office has added some new "easy to fill out" forms on the Members Page, and Document Committee will be working on making sure that all our policies are in agreement with one another. Plus we've also welcomed five new members since the first of the year - all ready to hit the road for Jesus! We think there are exciting days ahead for our ministry - will you join us in praying for direction and discernment and wisdom in the days and months ahead? And "let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Gal. 6:9)
May the Love of our Savior be fresh and new to you today!
Resting in His Grace,
Stephanie Conrad, #2509
for the Board of Trustees
SOWER Ministry
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Heading to the Mountains?
SOWERS has several beautiful and needy projects situated above 5000 ft. If you've never worked one of our "High Altitude" projects before, here are a couple of tips to help make it a rewarding experience - both for the project and for you!
Avoiding Altitude Sickness
- Take it Slow - Give your body time to acclimate to the decreased amount of oxygen in the air.
- Stay Hydrated - Drinking lots of water is always a good idea, but try to add even more to your diet. The recommendation is 3-4 quarts per day.
- Stay Rested - Listen to your body and take a nap. Extra rest is often needed as you adjust to the higher altitude.
- Eat Well - Include lots of fruits and vegetables and indulge in some extra carbohydrates. High-carb diets require less oxygen for metabolism and digestion.
- Check with your doctor if you are concerned with how high altitude will affect you.
- Make sure your brakes, engine, transmission and fluids are all in good condition.
- Avoid riding your brakes going downhill - shift into Low and use your exhaust brake if you have one.
- Take your time. Uses pull-offs to rest your transmission or brakes and give those who might be behind you a chance to pass.
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There are lots of opportunities to serve this summer (and some this spring!) at these projects!
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CVRM Annex is underway!
 | | CVRM asks for two SOWERS during the winter months. |
Coachella Valley Rescue Mission
(CA-481) Overnight Emergency Services Annex construction is moving right along. The Annex will house up to 75 men, women, and children. This 10,000 sq ft building will have separate sleeping areas for men and women, showers, laundry facilities, and case management offices. There will also be 2 RV sites for SOWER volunteers! (Currently the RV sites are about 10 miles outside of town, so this is good news indeed!)
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New on the Members Page
- The Work Voucher in an editable form. You open up the .pdf file and you can type in the information instead of writing it. Then you print them out, get them signed, and you're good to go. Of course, the hand-written ones will still be sent in the GL packet, but we hope that some will find this useful.
- The GL Report is also available as a form you can fill out on your computer. After you've filled out the information, save the file and then attach it to an email and send it to the office. You can also print a copy for your records.
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Trustee Nominations
By now everyone should have received their 2015 SOWER Trustee Nomination Forms. Please be praying about who you might like to nominate. Per our Constitution -
The candidates must be SOWERS in good standing and have had substantial experience in the SOWER Ministry for at least two (2) years.
Don't forget to check with your nominee to secure their permission! Feel free to contact any of the current Trustees if you'd like more information about what is involved.
All nominations must be postmarked by
March 15th
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Last official Reunion of the Winter Season
Whether you're an Alumni, a Seasoned Sower or New to the Family, there's nothing like a Sower Reunion to connect with friends old and new and get recharged about the ministry. If you live in close proximity to a SOWER project, let them know you're around! There are often impromptu gatherings of SOWERS happening all around the country all year long! Whether you're camping together or just meeting for a meal at a local restaurant, a SOWER Gathering is always a blessing!
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(aka Texas Reunion)
March 29 - April 1
Trinity Pines Conference Center
Trinity, TX
(TX- 254)
Costs:
Camping - $22.00/night
Rooms are available - prices vary
Meals - Dinner at the Camp one night - $7/person
Other meals will be by donation
What to expect:
Auction
Talent Night
Campfires
Trustee Q&A
Tech Forum
Lots and Lots of Fellowship Time!
Registration is now OPEN!
What are you waiting for!?
(If you've signed up but haven't received a confirmation, please contact Nancy again. Thanks!)
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You want us to do what?
 As Sowers we're asked to do many things. And most of them are pretty routine - some plumbing, a little painting, a deck here, some tile work there. But sometimes we're asked to do things that are just a bit out of the ordinary. What's the most unusual job you've been asked to do as a SOWER? Send your stories and pictures to Stephanie and we might feature it in the newsletter!
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Recently seen on the SOWER Facebook Group Page
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 Have you stopped by lately? Make sure you've "checked" the box to receive notifications, and PLEASE post pictures and stories from YOUR projects!
And if you're a member of Facebook, but haven't joined the SOWER Group, click on the icon to join the family!
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Trinity Pines (TX-454) has openings in Mar-Apr-May-June plus it's hosting the SOWER TX Round-up this year!
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While you're on Facebook, don't forget to check out your favorite projects. Many of our project locations have a Facebook page and it's a great way to stay up to date on the places you love to serve!
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Dear Sam and Sally
Dear Sam and Sally,
I'm pretty confused about this new "late-sign-up" policy that was mentioned in a recent newsletter and in the Sowergram. Does this mean that we can't sign up after - what? -six weeks before a project? I'd like to always be that organized, but in our life things can change pretty quickly. Could you help me understand this new policy?
Confused!
Dear Confused,
I hope we can help. Let's start with the project side of things. Six weeks before the start of the project month, the host is notified who will be coming. They are also notified if no workers are coming. This is indispensable to the projects for them to be able to prepare for the work that will be done - both scheduling and budget-wise. As other SOWERS sign up closer to the start date, the project is notified one at a time, as those sign-ups come in. This policy works just fine most of the time. Most projects don't mind late sign-ups. However, some projects would re-focus their project list (and often their project resources) once they learned how many, or that none, were coming. Sometimes they would also have opportunity to put their RV sites to good use if they weren't all going to be occupied by SOWERS - either with other volunteers or even with paying guests. Then, when they are notified that more SOWERS are coming closer to the start of the project, they have to scramble - for work to be done or RV sites, or both. As a courtesy to our projects we are now offering them the opportunity to decline SOWERS if they sign-up after the official notification has gone out. We never want SOWERS to be a burden - only a blessing.
So how does that affect your signing up? The SOWER sign-up policy has always been that you can sign-up for a project as soon as it appears in the Sowergram and as late as the day before the project starts. With this new policy the only difference is that if you need to sign-up "late" (after the project has been notified who's coming (or not)), then the office will check with your requested project to make sure they still have work and/or room for you. Most likely it will be a YES! But there is now the possibility it will be a NO.
Does that help? You are welcome to contact the office or a Trustee if you have any other questions.
Serving the King with you -
Sam & Sally
Do you have a question about SOWER policy or etiquette? Sam and Sally would love to hear from you! Contact them at -samandsally@sowerministry.org.
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Quick Links
To send in a prayer request or praise item-
To contact the office -
903-882-8070
To submit something to the newsletter
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Growing our ministry
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The Board of Trustees is always looking for good ways to share the blessing of being a SOWER.
We have recently used the above graphic in some Christian magazine advertising and it has been well received! Are you aware of any other venues (possibly within your denomination?) where we could advertise?
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A Board member at Work
Confirmation sent in by Roy & Mary Welsh (#797) that our Board members are active and working! Thanks, Ken Oliver (#1106), for helping to clean up after the FL Reunion! And thanks to everyone who helped make the FL Reunion a success! Friends were made and renewed, meals were shared, and a good time was had by all!
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March 14th
SOWER Board of Trustees Meeting
Will you pray for us? March 14th is our phone conference meeting and while it's wonderful to have the technology to be able to do this, having 11 people on one phone call does present some challenges. We'll be reviewing the last 6 months of ministry and addressing issues that have come to our attention since then. We'll also be discussing some of our Long Range Plans.
Do you have a question or concern you'd like to share with the Board of Trustees?
Send an email to the office, marked "For the Trustees" and we will all receive a copy. If you prefer, you are also welcome to contact individual members using the contact information in the Roster. If you'd like us to discuss your concern at the Board meeting, please contact us no later than March 5th.
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Clicking on the Rose will take you to the Members Only Page and the February/March Sowergram and the latest updates to our Project Listings.
The password changed on December 15th. If you're having trouble signing in, check your hard copy for the correct password.
Or contact the office (M-Th) - they're always happy to help!
903-882-8070
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Tucson Escapade
March 8-13, 2015
Are you planning on attending the National Escapee Escapade in Tucson? Do you love SOWERS and would love to share the ministry with others? Stop by the SOWER table along the ROW being organized by Dale and Cheryl Curtis (#3253). They'd love to say hello - and if you'd like to take a turn at manning the table, well that would be great too!
It's another great opportunity to share our ministry!
Contact the Curtis's for more information! 620-653-4703
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Just the Facts
for February 2015
(February 2014)
Number of Active SOWERS*
496 (532)
Number of ALUMNI SOWERS*
129 (142)
Number of SOWER projects requesting SOWER Assistance
86 (82)
Number of SOWER projects receiving SOWER Assistance
51 (53)
Number of SOWERS* requested (Including SOAs)
410 (418)
Number of SOWERS* working (Including SOAs)
173 (201)
*Number of SOWERS always refers to a SOWER "Unit" - whether a couple or a single, not individual SOWERS.
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SOWER Blog Roll
See what other SOWERS are doing around the country!
Roger's SOWER Blog
Roger & Nola Sorenson
Soltesweb.net
Ed & Patty Soltes
Bob and Billie on the Road
Bob & Billie Wakeman
RV There Yet
Gary & Stephanie Conrad
Paul Alton.com
Paul and Juanita Alton
Benedictus
Terry & Alice Burnett
RV Craze
Wayne and Gail Fieler
Glennandjanesjourney
Glenn and Jane Kellenbenz
Do YOU have a Blog you'd like to share? Send me the link, and we'll add it to the "Blog Roll".
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Photo Info/Credits
Header location -Forest Glen Camps (TX-126)
Header Group Shot -
Highland Lakes Camp and Conference (TX - 406)
Jake & Eleanor Dueck (2441), Harold & Phyllis Snipes (2190), Jim & Feryl Laney (2550), Edroy & Judy Anderson (2412)and Bill & Betsy McClintick (3213)
Beach Sunset (opening paragraph) - Jenny Rasmussen (2824)
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Heading through Texas?
Looking for a stop-over spot in Texas? Don't forget the SOWER Office has 5 beautiful, paved, full hook-up sites that are available for our use. The first two nights are free, and then it's $10.00/night. If you'd like to hang around for a bit, it's $50.00/week or $150 for a month. Just enough to cover utilities!
Even if you can't stay for a couple of nights, the office folks would LOVE to have you stop in to say hello! A fresh pot of coffee is only minutes away from your arrival!
Lindale is right off Interstate 20, about 90 miles east of Dallas. Look for the directions on the first page of the Sowergram.
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Contributors ALWAYS Needed!
Do YOU have a testimony to share about a recent SOWER project? Maybe a word of encouragement to other SOWERS? We'd love to hear about it!
Do you have a photograph that might work as a "header" for this monthly newsletter? (It will be cropped to 600x125 pixels) Or maybe a favorite group shot that could be included?
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